Chronic Pain and Memory Loss

[rooka]

Hello Forum,

I want people to help me answer a question i have involving memory loss and chronic pain

I have had mild chronic pain now for 2 years and severe chronic pain for over 8 months now. My memory has progressively gotten worse, both short and long term. It is like a cloud is hanging over my mind. Like reaching for something you cant see.

I am worried that when (if) my pain subsides that my memories will be lost forever... or that with full health that they will return.  ??? I would like to here from people who have had chronic pain and memory issues and if your memories returned after your pain stopped.

My chronic pain exists in the left side of my face and currently have gotten off carbamezapine and only am taking nurofen (6-8 a day, everyday), fish oil and multivitamins. I have had to pull back from life and rest, and have been doing so for 4 months now.

Thanks guys :)

[jillywillyf]

Thankyou for your info. I have Lupus and your info will help me in my search for understanding what all this disease can do to me.  

[nina34995]

I been having chronic headaches,an memory loss as 2 hours later don't remember where i put away anything.Also i feel restless cant sleep dizzy sweat alto stress depress an just want to be inside the house don't even have a life an am only 43 i been send to anther doctor they have done blood work am only low on vitamin D but i got high blood pressure an cholesterol also i take med to control my hart beat can any one tell me if someone is going threw this

[ron0540]

I have been dealing with chronic pain for several years.  Depending on my pain levels and how much medications I am taking at the time, memory issues have there ups and downs.  The one thing I saw in your description was that you are taking "carbamezapine".  I was given that medication when I had a seizure.  That one medication left me in a daze from morning to night.  I was afraid to go anywhere, could not drive, walk a straight line, basically, I was non functional.   When my neurologist told me I needed to stay on the drug for 1 year with no more seizures, I said "ok", and slowly took myself off the med over a 10 day period, and  I was able to regain some quality of life.  Check out the symptoms associated with "carbamezapine".  
Good Luck
ron

[Tuckamore]

Hi Rooka,

I think everyone has said it well, with chronic pain and medications comes some degree of memory loss. We all are a bit different and have varying degrees of memory loss. And as holmes pointed out a disturbance in normal thyroid function can also cause memory issues. There are many factors that can play into memory problems.

Mine comes more in the form of I can't remember names, ppl names or names of products, things like that. Trying to remember who sang a song I knew by heart some 15 years ago will set me nuts until I remember it. And sometimes I am able to remember it and sometimes I can't. So I think it can be different for all of us.

Often for chronic pain suffers a good night's sleep escapes us. Fatigue and lack of sleep can play a large part in our memory recall abilities. Getting a good nights sleep can help with memory impairment. Tricyclic anti-depressant drugs can help with sleep and in some instances reduce chronic pain..

There are studies that suggest some chronic disease conditions actually kill brain cells. Talk to your physician about this possibility preferably after you do some research on your specific condition. Ppl with fibromyalgia experience the well known "brain fog." It is part of the disease condition.  

Some studies conclude that people with lupus have a specific antibody, called anti-NR2. It is thought that this antibody can kill brain cells. Obviously that may interfere with ones memory. There are medications for some of these issues.

I've learned to live with some memory loss. I can definitely see a difference after one of my fleeting good nights sleep. It's impossible to know how much your memory will improve due to the wide variances in ppl and the many contributing factors. Always hope for the best.

Take Care,
~Tuck

[holmes1981]

I know this may seem far fetched, it did to me too at first. Several years ago i went in to my doctor with chronic widespread pain, cold intolerence, weight gain and was especially concerned with my memory. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalsia and given lyrica, made since to me, until 18 months later when the lyrica was still not helping. I was also going in for chronic severe pain in the shoulder and surrounding area (still dont know what that pain is). BUT upon seeing my new doctor (6th one now) for my shoulder pain she went over the symptoms of my other pains and memory loss issues. She said she may have an idea and sent me to the lab for blood work, all the other doctors had just gone off of the Fibromyalsia diagnosed by the previous doctor. My T4 cells came back "very concerningly low". Turns out that I have hypothyroidism and no other doctor ever checked for it. I have been on the thyroid meds for about 2 months now and I am actually feeling alot better!! the severe shoulder pain is still there undiagnosed but without having to deal with the other stuff it is getting easier to live with and i am less depressed and agitated(which of coarse causes even more chronic pain, causing more memory loss. I have noticed an improvement in my memory althou i still have a ways to go to get it back to where it used to be. This may be one thing you want to check out....couldnt hurt.

[rooka]

i blamed the meds for a long time also, i was taking forms of anti-convulsants as they thought my chronic pain was neuralgia..

so i took endep (50mg a day), carbamezapine, and neurontin... All of these would leave you feeling very foggy, but would help with the pain..

I hope out memory returns !

[toolmaker]

Yes I have some memory problems  too but I have been blaming that on the meds.

[kitty51]

Everyone i know that has chronic pain (including me) has a bad memory, i think when the pain is so bad we just cant concentrate.when i have time s that i have felt good for a couple of weeks my memory seems to improve so maybe that it.I dont think your memory will be lost and gone forever though.